Which approach best addresses repeated noncompliance with infection prevention by a staff member?

• A. Provide coaching and education, document, and escalate if noncompliance continues, prioritizing patient safety.
• B. Ignore unless a formal complaint arises.
• C. Terminate the staff member immediately.
• D. Only document without coaching.

Answer: (A)

Addressing repeated noncompliance with infection prevention hinges on protecting patients while guiding staff toward proper practice. The best approach combines coaching and education to address gaps in knowledge or technique, with careful documentation of what’s observed and a plan to escalate if the behavior continues. Coaching delivers targeted feedback and explains why infection prevention practices matter for patient safety, helping the staff member learn and apply the correct procedures. Documentation creates a clear trail of actions, observations, and outcomes, supporting accountability and informing ongoing quality improvement. Escalation ensures persistent issues are managed consistently, potentially involving supervisors or policy reviews if needed, always putting patient safety first. This approach fosters a learning-oriented safety culture rather than punitive action, giving opportunities to correct behavior while maintaining standards of care.

Ignoring the issue fails to protect patients and violates expectations; terminating immediately skips due process and may be inappropriate without remediation attempts; simply documenting without coaching does not change behavior or reduce risk.